Morocco’s strategic location at the mouth of the Mediterranean and the northwest corner of Africa have given it a complex and rich history. It has been a crossroads of cultures for centuries and today constitutes a unique multicultural environment.The Monkey arrived by ferry in Tangier and made his way south by train, stopping in Asilah, a gorgeous former Portuguese colony with intact city walls overlooking the Atlantic. Lamentably, the Monkey didn’t get a photograph in Asilah.

The Monkey then continued southward to the Moroccan capital, Rabat. From there he made for Casablanca and Marrakech. While the Monkey’s snapshots from his trip are minimal, he has every intention to return to Morocco in the near future for much more exploration. Until then, the Monkey wants you to enjoy his few Moroccan photos.

The Monkey at the gates to the Chellah Necropolis in Rabat. The site dates from ancient times, and contains Roman ruins. But the chief attraction of the Chellah are its eerily abandoned Islamic remnants, including the tomb of the 14th Century Sultan Abou El Hassan, who ruled much of modern-day Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

The Monkey takes in the scenery in Rabat’s Kasbah des Oudaïas. A Kasbah (or Casbah) is simply a fortified palace or section of an Arab town. Rabat’s Kasbah dates from the 11th and 12th Century, and has a serene view out over the Bou Regreg River and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The land across the river is Salé, once a rival to Rabat but now more of a suburb to the capital.

Inside the Chellah in Rabat, the Monkey enjoys the silence of this ancient royal burial site. Just above his head in the photograph is the ruined minaret that was once covered in bright tiles. Today, a large stork’s nest sits on top of it. Beyond the minaret, a lovely North African landscape unfolds.

Another view of the grounds of the Chellah in Rabat, here with the Monkey resting on some overgrown foliage. The walls are just visible in the background.

Casablanca. The Spanish name of this Moroccan city is forever etched in the popular consciousness from a U.S. film. The Monkey visited Casa, as they say for short, to feel the pulse of Morocco’s business and trade capital, and of course to hear Sam tickle the ivories. Sam, Rick, and the rest of the gang were nowhere to be found, but there are still touches of the French colonial and wartime espionage here and there, in restaurants, cafés, and hotel bars. Serving as Morocco’s main port, Casablanca is quite vibrant. The Monkey is hoping to return soon.

It is also home to the second largest mosque in the world, the Great Mosque of Hassan II. It is visible in the distance behind the Monkey. The mosque is a recent creation, designed by Frenchman Michel Pinseau in the 1980s, and features the tallest minaret in the world (at 200 meters), which also qualifies it as the tallest religious building in the world. The Great Mosque’s retractable-roofed interior can accommodate 20,000 worshippers, and a further 80,000 can fit in the courtyards (only the Great Mosque at Mecca can hold more people). Amazingly, the interior features a glass floor extending over the waters of the Atlantic below it, but unfortunately that sight is reserved for the faithful.

The Monkey escapes the heat of Marrakech by draining a few soft drinks. Back in 1996, the Monkey still occasionally imbibed the odd Coca Cola, but he’s since opted for more interesting (and less health-destructive) beverages.

During his travels in Morocco, the Monkey made it as far south as the Berber-founded city of Marrakech. In Morocco, that’s not very far south. But beyond the 12th Century city walls (made of mud), the sands of the Sahara desert unfold and the majestic, snowcapped Atlas Mountains loom at a great distance. The French colonial train system ends in Marrakech, and overland travel has to be undertaken by other means. The camels in the photo above are one option…